Nick Bonino was born on April 20, 1988 in Unionville, Connecticut. He played his collegiate hockey at Boston University where he helped the team to an NCAA National Championship in 2009.

Though drafted by the Sharks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Bonino would never suit up for the club. His rights were sent to the Anaheim Ducks in a trade deadline day move on March 4, 2010. Shortly after, Bonino joined the Ducks and made his NHL debut on March 26, 2010. This past season with the Ducks (2012-13), he produced 5 goals and 8 assists for a total of 13 points in 27 games.

After a career season in Anaheim where he scored 22 goals and 49 points Bonino was traded prior to the 2014-15 season, along with Luca Sbisa and a first and third round draft pick was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Ryan Kesler and a third round draft pick.

Bonino played only one season in Vancouver before he was traded along with Adam Clendening and a second round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Brandon Sutter and a third round draft pick.The move would turn out to be a fortuitous one for Bonino. He would go to appear in 63 regular-season games for the Penguins during the 2015-16 as well as 24 post-season games, helping the club to the fourth Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Bonino led the Penguins with 14 assists during the post-season run and his game-winning goal late in Game One of the Stanley Cup Final gave the Penguins a series lead that they would never relinquish.

After helping the Penguins to their second consecutive Stanley Cup victory, Bonino would test the free agent market. On July 1, 2017, he signed with the team he had defeated just days earlier in the Stanley Cup Final, the Nashville Predators.

On the international stage, Bonino helped the United States to a bronze medal at the 2015 World Championship.